Talk:You Are Not Alone/@comment-3575890-20140527033933
You know, I'm sorry to get so heated up you guys, but I just get so infuriated when guys downplay the seriousness of issues related to rape culture and dismiss it as feminist victim complex circle jerk propaganda. Yeah, easy to say when it doesn't affect your daily life. Get back to me when: You can't walk down a deserted parking lot to your car at night without thinking you need to be on your guard, and half-expecting something to happen because the likelihood is, it would. You can't reject a guy on the dance floor without there being a possibility that he might become verbally/physically aggressive and either shout expletives at you or try to hurt you. Your friend lies about the two of you being in relationships or even in a relationship with each other to try to get persistent guys off your backs. Bouncers have had to intervene just to get persistent, aggressive guys to leave you and your friends alone. Your acceptance of a guy's invitation to dance seemingly leads him to think he has full permission to grope your breasts, ass, shove his tongue down your throat, dry hump you, and try to finger you. You can't stand outside a night club waiting for a cab without some schmuck groping you, trying to kiss you, or coerce you into going off with him and other people standing around being all that is keeping him from trying more. You always have a great time when you go out with your friends, but have never had a night when you haven't had to deal with all of the above bullshit. When this becomes the norm for your Saturday nights, then you can talk. Now some men (this one I've been debating back and forth with all night especially) think rape culture is exaggerated. Tell that to all of my friends who have been assaulted. Tell that to the women at clubs I see dump out their drinks before retreating to the bathroom because they can't leave them unattended in case someone slips something into them. Tell that to women I see walking to the bathroom hand in hand together because it's not safe for just one of them to go. Tell that to that girl that was stabbed to death for rejecting a guy's invite to prom and countless other similar cases. Tell that to my friend who had to run to her car and just barely got away while some asshole chased her down in the parking lot. Tell that to my friend who is being stalked and harassed by her abusive ex and fears she might run into him everytime we go out. Tell to the women who are told the worst she should expect if she passes out at a party is waking up with some stranger's seed in her belly. Tell that to the women who are told they should expect to be raped or attacked if they go out ANYWHERE at night. Tell that to the women who are told they shouldn't wear a short skirt because it might provoke some poor unsuspecting helpless-to-his-urges fellow into raping her. Tell that to the bouncers who have on occasion walked me and my friends out and waited with us until our cabs arrived. According to a survey, men's greatest fear when going on a blind date is that their date won't be attractive. The survey results for the women however, suggest something much more morbid; they worry they may not come back alive. People might roll their eyes and think that's extreme, but is it really when that fear is legitimated and validated by horrifying statistics. Every one in four women become one of those horrifying statistics. Tell me again why women do not have grounds to be wary and precautious. Whenever me and my friends go off at night, even if we are all fucking shitfaced, I never let my guard down. There's not enough alcohol in the world that can get me to forget about the importance of self awareness because I know I simply cannot afford to not be on my guard, and that it could make all the difference in what happens next.